County to hire business developer

Position would supervise planning department, act as liaison and help businesses cut through red tape

Published: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 7:18 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 7:18 a.m.

Continuing its push to become more business- friendly, Henderson County is hiring a “business and community development director” to fill the county’s top Planning Department post.

The director will supervise planning, code enforcement, permitting and building services staff, but his or her primary role will be as a facilitator and resource for business interests, County Manager Steve Wyatt said.

The salary range for the position will be $70,000 to $80,000. Wyatt said he has begun interviews for the new post and hopes to have it filled by March.

Wyatt said the director will lead economic development project teams; attend public meetings with an eye toward business needs; act as a liaison between myriad groups and the county; and help businesses cut through bureaucratic red tape.

“I don’t know anyone else in the state who’s doing this,” Wyatt said. “And if it doesn't work out, I’ll take the blame. But we want to be the hub of business in Western North Carolina. We want to let people know Henderson County is open for business.”

When former Planning Director Anthony Starr resigned Dec. 13 to take a job in Hickory, Wyatt moved Senior Planner Autumn Radcliff into the role of interim planning director, where she remains. He also began to evaluate the planning department’s needs going forward.

His evaluation showed the land use, development and transportation planning aspects of the department “are in good shape,” Wyatt said, but Starr’s departure left some big shoes to fill when it came to economic development duties. “I had assigned Anthony to walk (new industries and other businesses) through the regulatory process, which, quite frankly, can be a quagmire,” Wyatt said. “If we had someone who made a decision to move here, he played an active role in being a resource to help them solve problems.”

Starr also worked closely with the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, Wyatt said, preparing reports, assisting with grant proposals and undertaking other projects aimed at making the county more attractive to new or existing businesses.

“We’ve got good people in the planning department, but I came to the conclusion around Christmas that I needed a bigger-picture person,” Wyatt said, adding that he sought feedback from commissioners before writing the new job description.

The new top position in the planning department will have broad responsibilities, he said, including staff training, strategic planning, updating land-use ordinances, investigating public concerns, coordinating grants and overseeing contractors.

The job description, posted Jan. 14, seeks someone with a degree in business or public administration with “considerable experience in management of complex projects,” preferably involving “private industry.”

Walking businesses through the maze of building inspections, county codes and other regulations will be just one of the job’s duties, Wyatt said. The business and community development director also will serve as the county’s main liaison with groups such as the Hendersonville Home Builder’s Association, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership.

Wyatt said he’s also looking for someone who can work with other governmental agencies, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to facilitate permits and approvals necessary for businesses to succeed in Henderson County.

“If you’re an industry and you decide to come here, then our commitment to you does not stop once you sign on that dotted line,” Wyatt said. “Our commitment has to be ongoing. We have to prove to Sierra Nevada and Legacy Paddlesports, and any other employer, that they made the right decision to do business here.”

And that commitment doesn’t just apply to big industries, Wyatt said.

“We love companies that are going to hire 200, 250 people, but if you look at the job growth, it’s small businesses,” he said. “The future is going to be seven, eight, nine employees. That’s great; that’s the American dream. We want to do everything we can do to make it as easy to start or grow a business in Henderson County, because we’re competing with those (localities) around us.”

To that end, Wyatt said one of the first assignments of the new business and community development director will be to work with a new “regulation review committee” created by commissioners this month. The brainchild of Commissioner Grady Hawkins, the committee will be made up of business owners and others whose task will be to weed through county code looking for onerous or unnecessary rules.

“It’s a good opportunity for the right person, and I think it’s a great opportunity for the county,” Wyatt said.

<p>Continuing its push to become more business- friendly, Henderson County is hiring a “business and community development director” to fill the county's top Planning Department post.</p><p>The director will supervise planning, code enforcement, permitting and building services staff, but his or her primary role will be as a facilitator and resource for business interests, County Manager Steve Wyatt said.</p><p>The salary range for the position will be $70,000 to $80,000. Wyatt said he has begun interviews for the new post and hopes to have it filled by March.</p><p>Wyatt said the director will lead economic development project teams; attend public meetings with an eye toward business needs; act as a liaison between myriad groups and the county; and help businesses cut through bureaucratic red tape.</p><p>“I don't know anyone else in the state who's doing this,” Wyatt said. “And if it doesn't work out, I'll take the blame. But we want to be the hub of business in Western North Carolina. We want to let people know Henderson County is open for business.”</p><p>When former Planning Director Anthony Starr resigned Dec. 13 to take a job in Hickory, Wyatt moved Senior Planner Autumn Radcliff into the role of interim planning director, where she remains. He also began to evaluate the planning department's needs going forward. </p><p>His evaluation showed the land use, development and transportation planning aspects of the department “are in good shape,” Wyatt said, but Starr's departure left some big shoes to fill when it came to economic development duties. “I had assigned Anthony to walk (new industries and other businesses) through the regulatory process, which, quite frankly, can be a quagmire,” Wyatt said. “If we had someone who made a decision to move here, he played an active role in being a resource to help them solve problems.” </p><p>Starr also worked closely with the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, Wyatt said, preparing reports, assisting with grant proposals and undertaking other projects aimed at making the county more attractive to new or existing businesses. </p><p>“We've got good people in the planning department, but I came to the conclusion around Christmas that I needed a bigger-picture person,” Wyatt said, adding that he sought feedback from commissioners before writing the new job description. </p><p>The new top position in the planning department will have broad responsibilities, he said, including staff training, strategic planning, updating land-use ordinances, investigating public concerns, coordinating grants and overseeing contractors. </p><p>The job description, posted Jan. 14, seeks someone with a degree in business or public administration with “considerable experience in management of complex projects,” preferably involving “private industry.” </p><p>Walking businesses through the maze of building inspections, county codes and other regulations will be just one of the job's duties, Wyatt said. The business and community development director also will serve as the county's main liaison with groups such as the Hendersonville Home Builder's Association, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership. </p><p>Wyatt said he's also looking for someone who can work with other governmental agencies, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to facilitate permits and approvals necessary for businesses to succeed in Henderson County. </p><p>“If you're an industry and you decide to come here, then our commitment to you does not stop once you sign on that dotted line,” Wyatt said. “Our commitment has to be ongoing. We have to prove to Sierra Nevada and Legacy Paddlesports, and any other employer, that they made the right decision to do business here.” </p><p>And that commitment doesn't just apply to big industries, Wyatt said. </p><p>“We love companies that are going to hire 200, 250 people, but if you look at the job growth, it's small businesses,” he said. “The future is going to be seven, eight, nine employees. That's great; that's the American dream. We want to do everything we can do to make it as easy to start or grow a business in Henderson County, because we're competing with those (localities) around us.” </p><p>To that end, Wyatt said one of the first assignments of the new business and community development director will be to work with a new “regulation review committee” created by commissioners this month. The brainchild of Commissioner Grady Hawkins, the committee will be made up of business owners and others whose task will be to weed through county code looking for onerous or unnecessary rules. </p><p>“It's a good opportunity for the right person, and I think it's a great opportunity for the county,” Wyatt said. </p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than. axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>